FOREIGN ADOPTION

Live Scan Help for Foreign Adoption

The following information is reprinted from the California Department of Justice’s web site. For further information please visit the California Department of Justice

The California Department of Justice (DOJ) will honor a request for a fingerprint background check if needed for a foreign adoption. The following are easy-to-follow steps on how to obtain a Live Scan background check for this purpose! Please note that this process is not the adoption home study and is not to be considered an approval or denial to adopt.

If the foreign government or adoption agency requires an FBI background check, please go to the FBI Web Site for information and instructions, or you can call (304) 625-3878. If the foreign government or adoption agency requires a search of the Child Abuse Central Index (CACI), visit the Child Protection Program’s Web Site or contact them by phone at (916) 227-3285 for information and instructions.

The following are the basic steps to complete your request for a state background check using Live Scan. Failure to follow these procedures may result in a delay or the rejection of your application for a DOJ background check.

Step 3

Step 4

Your total costs will be $32 plus the fingerprint rolling fee charged by the Live-Scan agency. Since the fingerprint-rolling fee varies widely among locations, you will want to review the cost along with the accepted methods of payment before going to the fingerprinting site.

Step 5

Once the submission is received and processed, the DOJ will mail the response via U.S., mail to the applicant ONLY. It is the applicant’s responsibility to forward the information to their legal counsel or assistance agency. Normal processing time varies depending on the completeness of the individual’s criminal history record.

NOTE: An “Apostille” or a “Certification” is frequently required by the foreign government before the background check will be accepted. The document you receive from the DOJ is not the actual Apostille, but will include the signatures necessary for such authentication. You will need to forward DOJ’s document to the Secretary of State to obtain the Apostille. For more information, please visit the Secretary of State’s Web Site.

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